1992 Ford Crown Victoria

BASED ON THE LOW RATE OF FIRE INCIDENTS (2.5 INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES SOLD) WHERE FAILURE OF THE SCDS IS INVOLVED AND THE AGE OF THE VEHICLES ? 7 TO 11 YEARS ? A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

THE FARS DATA SHOWS THAT THE RISK OF FIRE FROM IMPACT IN ALL DIRECTIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS THE SAME AS ALL OTHER SEDANS.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE NOT OVER REPRESENTED WITH RESPECT TO THE RISK OF FIRE IN REAL-WORLD HIGH-ENERGY CRASHES.A FURTHER DISCUSSION OF ISSUES RELATED TO POST CRASH FIRES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS SET OUT IN THE CLOSING REPORT FOR SQ 01-014 AND THAT REPORT IS IN THE DOCKET FOR THIS PETITION.AFTER REVIEWING THE PETITION AND ITS SUPPORTING MATERIALS, AS WELL AS INFORMATION FURNISHED BY FORD AND GM, AND INFORMATION WITHIN THE AGENCY'S POSSESSION FROM PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS AND OTHER RELATED ACTIONS,NHTSA HAS CONCLUDED THAT FUTHER INVESTIGATION CONCERNING POST-CRASH FIRES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS NOT LIKELY TO LEAD TO A DECISION THAT THE VEHICLES CONTAIN A SAFETY DEFECT.

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CAR KEPT ACCELERATING AFTER I LET OFF. I HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKES TO MAKE IT STOP. THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP BUT THE CAR KEPT MOVING. USING 250-280 POUNDS OF PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL I FINALLY STOPPED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE INCIDENT CAN BE VIEWED AT YOUTUBE. IT IS TITLED RAM CAM EPISODE 5. IT IS THE LAST PART OF THE VIDEO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10547143

Incident

Oct 6, 2013

Mileage

173,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DEACTIVATE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED AND WOULD ACCELERATE INSTEAD. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THEY WOULD RETURN HIS CALL WITHIN A FEW DAYS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT WOULD NOT ASSIST DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,500. UPDATED 08/10/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE INSTEAD OF DECELERATE WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED. UPDATED 08/12/11*JB

NHTSA ID

10410733

Incident

Jul 4, 2011

Mileage

103,500 mi

1.RIDING ONE NIGHT HEADLIGHTS JUST GO OFF ON THE HIGHWAY,SMELLED PLASTIC BURNING/ 2.HEADLIGHT SWITCH OVERHEATING MELTING PLUG CONNECTED TO WIRING/ HAPPENS ALL THE TIME/ FIRE OR EVEN CAUSE A WRECK OR GET A TRAFFIC VIOLATION. 3.CHANGED SWITCH CHANGED PLUG SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN &AGAIN,LOOKED AT PARTS ON OTHER CARS SAME MODEL SAME YEAR DIFFERENT MODEL DIFFERENT YEAR SAME PROBLEM IN THE SAME SPOT!! [ THE FORD 1992 CROWN VICTORIA]. *TR

NHTSA ID

10307687

Incident

Sep 12, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: CRUISE CONTROL. WHILE AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, THE MECHANIC IDENTIFIED ANOTHER FAILURE IN THE FUEL LINE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY HAD THE PARTS AVAILABLE AND ADVISED HER TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR. AT THE TIME, SHE COULD NOT DRIVE TO THE DEALER DUE TO THE FUEL LINE FAILURE. THE PURCHASE DATE AND RECALL NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 91,000. UPDATED 07/07/08. *LJ WATER LEAKED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. UPDATED*JB

NHTSA ID

10221967

Incident

Aug 6, 2007

Mileage

91,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 CROWN VICTORIA. WHILE DRIVING SPEEDS RANGING FROM 20 TO 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN IDLING AND ATTEMPTED TO SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED. THE CONTACT NOTICED WATER LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE TRANSMISSION AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS INSTALLED BACKWARDS, WHICH CAUSED THE FEATURES OF THE STEERING COLUMN NOT TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 232,871 AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. UPDATED 03/23/09. *LJ UPDATED 03/24/09*JB

NHTSA ID

10203191

Incident

Jul 20, 2007

Mileage

200,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACES HER VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND DEPRESSES THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES TO 40 MPH AND THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASE. SHE MUST APPLY THE BRAKES WITH BOTH FEET IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AFTERWARDS, SHE SMELLS THE SCENT OF BURNING PLASTIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE CAUSED BY THE BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH. HE INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT BRAKE FLUID MAY BE FLOWING TO THE SWITCH AND CAUSING THE HEAT TO ACTIVATE. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE AND COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HE LOSES BRAKE POWER OCCASIONALLY, EVEN THOUGH BRAKE FLUID IS PRESENT. HE ALSO NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH IS CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 33,000.

NHTSA ID

10197634

Incident

Jul 16, 2007

Mileage

33,000 mi

I PARKED MY 1992 FORD CROWN VICTORIA ON THE STREET WHILE I WAS AT MY HOME FOR 45 MINUTES. I DECIDED TO LEAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. WHEN I GOT TO MY CAR, I SMELLED BURNING AND SAW WISPS OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH MY ENGINE AREA. I QUICKLY OPENED MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND SMELLED SMOKE AND POPPED THE HOOD. INSIDE, THERE WAS A SMALL FIRE (GRAPEFRUIT SIZE) IN FRONT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. I RAN INTO THE HOUSE AND GOT SOME WATER AND DOUSED THE FLAMES. I WAS VERY LUCKY, BECAUSE I SEEM TO HAVE CAUGHT THE FIRE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF WHEN IT STARTED. I TOOK THE CAR INTO MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, AND THE PROBLEM WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THEY REPLACED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH AND A WIRING HARNESS THAT HAD BURNED (AT MY EXPENSE). THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. I CALLED FORD TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE, AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY CAR WAS UNDER RECALL BACK IN 1999, AND THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED ON 7/7/1999 WHEN MY DAD OWNED THE CAR. THIS WAS ACTUALLY EVEN MORE CONCERNING TO ME, BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH, WHICH SUPPOSEDLY FIXED THE ORIGINAL SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION PROBLEM, SEEMS TO BE DEFECTIVE AS WELL!! SO MY CAR IS NOW ON ITS SECOND "FIXED" CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. I AM ALSO CONCERNED FROM MY DISCUSSION WITH THE NHTSA REPRESENTATIVE. HE SAID THAT NO RECALLS CAN BE ISSUED FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE OVER 10 YEARS OLD. HE THEN TOLD ME THAT MY COMPLAINT WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING SINCE MY CAR WAS OVER 10 YEARS OLD. I DON'T EXPECT TO BE REIMBURSED FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE FIRE, HOWEVER, THIS IS DISTURBING TO ME KNOWING THAT MY COMPLAINT COULD BE DISMISSED OUT OF HAND. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OTHERS DON'T HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. ESPECIALLY WHEN DEALING WITH A CAR SETTING ITSELF ON FIRE WHEN IT IS NOT RUNNING. THIS COMPLAINT SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY EVALUATED BEFORE DISMISSING IT. IF THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN MY GARAGE WHILE I SLEPT, IT COULD HAVE EASILY BURNED DOWN THE HOUSE, OR KILLED SOMEONE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10172560

Incident

Oct 7, 2006

Mileage

125,000 mi

THIS PROBLEM CONCERNS THE STEERING COLUMN OF A 1992 FORD CROWN VICTORIA RUBBING AGAINST A METAL GAS LINE UNTIL LARGE AMOUNTS OF GAS SPILL ONTO THE HOT ENGINE AND CAUSE A SAFETY OF LIFE PROBLEM... AS LONG AS THE ENGINE REMAINS ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP WILL CONTINUE TO PUMP GAS ONTO THE FIRE CAUSED BY THE FAULT. PLEASE NOTICE THAT I AM AN ENGINEER AND THIS IS NOT A SMALL MATTER - IT INVOLVES MANY THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES AND AN IDENTICAL VEHICLE HAS HAD A RECALL - YET FORD HAS NOT HAD A RECALL ON THIS MODEL ALTHOUGH I TOOK THIS ISSUE TO THE TOP OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THE ISSUE DEALS WITH A GASOLINE LEAK CAUSED BY THE STEERING COLUMN RUBBING ON A METAL GAS LINE - CAUSING GASOLINE TO LEAK FROM THE WORN GAS LINE IN LARGE AMOUNTS. I FIRST NOTICED THE LEAK FROM THE SMELL OF GAS - THEN I NOTICED LARGE POOLS OF GAS LEAKING FROM UNDER MY CAR. AFTER INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE, WHICH WAS THE ROTATING STEERING COLUMN RUBBING ON THE GAS LINE, I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALER AND I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHO PUT ME OFF TO AN AREA PERSON WHO REBUFFED MY COMPLAINT. THE DEALER SHOWED ME A RECALL FOR THE LINCOLN CONTINENTAL WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM.... THE LINCOLN CONTINENTAL AND THE FORD CROWN VICTORIA ARE IDENTICAL IN THIS RESPECT.... THE RECALL SHOWED THE EXACT GAS LINE AND THE PROBLEM.... CHECK FOR YOURSELF.... THE LINCOLN CONTINENTAL AND THE FORD CROWN VICTORIA ARE EXACTLY THE SAME UNDER THE HOOD. THE RECALL SHOWED THE SAME GAS LINE AND THE SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE A CREDIBLE ORGANIZATION, YOU WILL RESEARCH THIS BY SIMPLY LOOKING AT THE RECALL FOR THE LINCOLN CONTINENTAL AND WONDER WHY THE RECALL NEVER HAPPENED FOR THE FORD CROWN VICTORIA.... KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A SAFETY OF LIFE SITUATION..... THE GAS LEAK IS CONSIDERABLE..... IT WAS A RECALL ON THE LINCOLN CONTINENTAL AND YET, NEVER SHOWED UP FOR THE FORD CROWN VICTORIA. E-MAIL ME BACK I CAN'T FIGURE OUT YOUR SERIAL NUMBER THANK YOU, *NM

NHTSA ID

10139761

Incident

May 3, 2003

FORD/LINCOLN MERCURY: CERTAIN 1992-2001 MODEL YEAR CROWN VICTORIA, GRAND MARQUIS, AND TOWN CAR VEHICLES REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF WISCONSIN AND CONNECTICUT UPGRADE MODIFICATIONS FOR HIGH SPEED REAR IMPACTS. *PE

INSTALLATION OF OPTIONAL POLICE INTERCEPTOR PACKAGE UPGRADE KIT. *TT UPDATE PART 2. EXPIRATION DATE REMOVED. *TT

CLIMATE CONTROL A/C SERVICE TECH TIPS. *EH

LAMP-BRAKE-INVADVERTENT DISABLING OF BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK. *MJ

TRANSFER SERVICE TIPS FOR THE FRONT WIPER MOTOR MOUNT BRACKET AND DEPRESSED PARK OUTPUT ARM. *TT

SOME ENGINE ASSEMBLIES WITH ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS REPAIRED IN-VEHILE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO LEAK COOLANT AND/OR OIL FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA. *TT